Supporting-hook.



C. E. NlLES.

SUPPORTING HOOK APPLICATION FILED JAN-27. x915.

Patented May 9,1916.

CHARLES E. NILES, F WOODWOR'IH, NORTH DAKOTA.

SUPPORTING-HOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916..

Application filed January 2'7, 1915. Serial No. 4,725.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. NILns, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Voodworth, in the county of Stutsman and tate of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supporting-Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates an improved supporting hook especially adapted for use in barns or stables for suspending harness, saddles, or other articles of like character, although it is to be understood that the construction may be employed in various other adaptations.

The invention has as its primary object to provide a device of this character wherein the hook will be normally maintained in an elevated position out of the way but wherein it may be readily lowered to either engage an article to be supported, with the hook, or disengage such article therefrom.

A further object of the invention, in this connection is to provide an improved'hook having yieldable means coacting therewith and normally acting to maintain the hook in elevated position, such yieldable means also being adapted to assist in the elevation of the hook after an article to be suspended, has been engaged therewith.

The invention has as a still further object to provide an improved hook wherein automatic means willbe provided for locking the hook in either elevated or lowered position, and wherein the said means will also provide handles for operating the hook in its vertical movement. And a still further object of the invention is to provide in connection with such automatic locking means, means coacting therewith to permit the free movement of the hook to elevated positions.

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds and in the drawings wherein I have illustrated the preferred form of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate correspond ing parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved device applied to a wall, Fig. 2 is a vertical section, partly broken away more particularly showing the details of construc tion of the device, Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one of the locking members employed, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section illustrating the movement of said locking members.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a vertically arranged guide which may be formed of any suitable material and which is in the nature of a tubular casing open at its ends and provided upon one side, with a vertically arranged slot 11, preferably extending throughout the entire length of the casing.

In connection with the guide 10, I provide supporting brackets 12 which may be of any suitable character and which are each recessed at one end as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, to freely receive the adjacent end of the casing, the brackets 12 being provided with a plurality of laterally projecting apertured lugs 13 adapted to receive screws or other suitable fastening devices for securing the brackets to a wall, conventionally shown at 14: in the drawings, or other character of support, it being observed that the brackets 12 are adapted to support thencasing in spaced parallel relation to the wa Freely mounted for vertical movement within the casing 10, is a supporting member indicated as a whole in Fig. 2 of the drawings by the numeral 15. More particularly, this supporting member includes a body portion 16 which, at one end, is pro vided with an internally screw threaded bore adapted to removably receive the adjacent externally screw threaded terminal of a preferably tubular extension or arm 17, the opposite extremity of which is also preferably externally screw threaded to detach- .ably receive a preferably tubular head cap 18. Formed on the cap 18 upon one side thereof is a laterally projecting arm or hook 19, the hook 19 being arranged to project freely throughthe slot 11 for vertical movement therein.

At its extremity opposite the arm 15, the body portion 16 is provided with a substantially cylindrical reduced terminal 20 adapted to engage within the adjacent terminal convolution of a preferably helical spring 21, the opposite extremity of the spring seating against the adjacent bracket 13. In this connection, it may be observed that the spring 21 is adapted to normally maintain the hook 19 elevated within the casing 10, in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. I

Intermediate its ends, the body portion 16 is provided with a diametrically extende ing opening and projecting into said openingupon one side thereof, is a laterally extending lug or shoulder 23. Mounted at their inner extremities within the opening 22, is a pair of opposed coacting locking members indicated as a whole in Fig. 1 of the drawings, by the numerals 2 1- and 25 respectively. One of these locking members is shown in detail in Fig. 3 of the drawings and since they are identical in construction, only one will be described. Referring now more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the locking member therein disclosed preferably includes a substantially rectangular head 26 which is slightly reduced at its inner end and is provided medially thereof, upon opposite sides, with oppositely disposed transversely extending slots 27, the longitudinal side walls of said slots forming spaced parallel shoulders 28. Projecting from the inner extremity of the head 26 is longitudinally eznending medially arranged reduced shank 29 having substantially flat sides, the shank being adapted to move freely within the opening 22 of the body portion 16, and being provided, adj acent its inner end, with a suitable opening 30.

Formed on the outer end of the head '26 or secured thereto in any suitable manner, is a longitudinally extending handle 31 preferably in the form of a loop as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, while upon one side of the head 26, is provided a medially arranged laterally projecting lug 32, the purpose of wnich will presently appear.

The locking members thus described are arranged upon the body portion 16 with the shanks 29 thereof rojecting into the open ing 22, the said shanks being pivotally connected with the body portion adjacent the lug 23 and upon opposite sides thereof by suitable pivot pins 33 which extend through the openings 30, it being observed that the ing 23 is adapted to limit the inward swinging movement of the locking members toward each other.

The slots 27 are adapted to freely receive the spaced parallel vertical edges defining the slot 11 with the shoulders 28 bearing laterally over the adjacent margins of the casing 10 upon opposite sides of said slot, the locking members being arranged so that the lugs 32 will confront each other as best shown in Fig. '2 of the drawings. Interposed between the locking members, and

bearing between the heads 26 thereof is a preferably helical spring 34, the terminal convolutions of said spring surrounding the lugs 32 to be supported thereby. It will now be noted that the spring 3-1 is adapted to maintain the shoulders 27 in engagement with the margins of the casing 10 adjacent the slot 11-.

Pivotally mounted within the opening 22 upon one side of the locking member 25, is a cam lever 35 having its free extremity extending laterally away from the said locking member and provided with a cam head 36 adapted to engage the locking member 25 upon the actuation of the cam lever, in a manner which will be readily understood, to move the locking member pivotally against the tension of the spring 34.

From the above description, it will be seen that the locking members 2 1 and 25 provide actuating handles through the medium of the loops 31 by which the hook 19 may be either raised or lowered. It is intended, in use, that the device shall be mounted in any convenient location and at such elevation from the floor or ground, that when the lug 19 is in normal elevated position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be up out of the way.

It will now be noted that when the hook 19 is moved downwardly within the casing 10, the shoulders 28 of the lockingmember 21, will frictionally engage the margins of the casing adjacent the slot 11 to cause the said locking member to move upon its pivot said locking member, the shoulders 28 there-- of will slide freely over the confronting edges of the casing 10 at the slot 11. Thus, the hook may be readily lowered against the tension of the spring 21 and it will be noted that downward movement of the member 15 within the casing 10 as just described will cause the locking member 25 to move upon its pivot toward the lug 23 to be engaged thereby and toa position wherein the shoulders 28 of the said locking member will slide freely overthe margins of the casing 10 at the slot 11. Upon the lowering of the hook 19 to the desired position where it will be readily accessible to receive any articles to be supported, the locking member 24 is released when the action of the spring 21 will tend to again return the hook to normal ele-' vated position. However, it will be observed that in the normal position of the cam lever 35 the spring 21 tending to move the member 15 upwardly within the casing 10 will cause the locking member 25, through the frictional engagement of the shoulders 28 thereof with the margins of the casing adjacent the slot 11, to move on its pivot away from the lug 23 to a position wherein the said shoulders will be brought into binding engagement with the margins of the casing to thus'hold the hook l9 stationary in lowered position. Consequently, when it is desired to again elevate the hook 19, the handle of the locking member 25 is grasped and upward strain exerted thereon to move the said locking member upon its pivot toward the lug 23 and consequently move the shoulders 28 thereof out of engagement with the casing 10, when the member 15 may then be readily elevated within the casing, it being noted that after articles have been engaged with the hook '19, the spring 21 will assist in the operation of elevating the said articles on the hook. It is further to be noted in this connection, that when the member 15 is thus moved upwardly within the casing 10, the locking member 24: will, through the engagement of the shoulders 28 thereof with the margins of the casing adjacent the slot 11, be moved upon its pivot toward the lug 23 to be engaged thereby and to a position wherein said shoulders will slide freely over the said margins so that the locking member 24 will thus present no impediment to the elevation of the hook.

The locking member 24 is, of course, provided so that the hook 19 may be supported in elevated position in any instance where the weight of the articles carried thereby would normally overcome the tension of the spring 21. However, in some instances, it may be found desirable to at all times allow the member 15 to be returned to normal elevated position within the casing 10 after having been depressed therein and for this purpose, the cam lever 35 is provided. By moving the cam lever 35 upon its pivot to engage the head 36 thereof with the locking member 25, the said locking member will be correspondingly moved to engage the lug 23 and in position where the shoulders 28 will slide freely over the margins of the casing 10 adjacent the slot 11. Consequently, when the member 15 is lowered within the casing 10 against the tension of the spring 21 and is then subsequently released, the said spring will normally return the hook 19 to elevated position. 7

Particular attention is now directed to the fact that the casing 10 is movable about a Vertical axis upon the brackets 13 and thus, if desired, the arm 19 may, in use, be arranged to extend outwardly from the wall 14 at substantially right angles thereto or may be moved to extend parallel with the wall or to contact therewith, where it will &

be entirely out of the way. In this connection, attention is further directed to the fact that the spring 21 will normally engage the adjacent bracket 13 for yieldably holding the casing 10 at adjustment.

It will therefore be seen that I provide an arrangement whereby the hook 19 will be automatically locked in elevated position within the casing 10 through the medium of the locking member 24: and wherein, under normal conditions, the said hook will also be automatically locked in lowered position against the tension of the spring 21 through the medium of the locking member 25. However, it will further be seen that either of said locking members may be readily actuated to permit the free movement of the hook vertically within the casing 10.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described including a guide adapted for attachment to a support and slotted to receive a support ing member, asupporting member vertically adjustable upon the guide, and a locking member carried by said first mentioned member and projecting through said slot, the said locking member being yieldably urged to co-act with the guide adjacent the slot for holding the supporting member in normal position.

2. A device of the character described including a guide adapted for attachment to a support and slotted to receive a support ing member, asupporting member vertically adjustable upon the guide, means normally urging the supporting member vertically of the guide, and a locking member carried by the supporting member and adapted to co-act with the edges of the guide upon opposite sides of said slot for holding the supporting member stationary upon the guide against the tension of said means.

3. A device of the character described including a guide adapted for attachment to a support and slotted to receive a supporting member, a supporting member vertically adjustable upon the guide, means normally urging the supporting member vertically of the guide, and coacting locking members carried by said first mentioned member and adapted to coact with the edgesof the guide upon opposite sides of said slot for holding the supporting member at adjustment in either direction vertically of the guide.

4. A device of the character described including a guide adapted for attachment to a support and slotted to receive a supporting member, a supporting member vertically adjustable upon the guide and normally gravitating toward one end thereof, and means freely connected with the supporting member and projecting through said slot to automatically coact with the guide for the influence of said first mentioned means.

6. A device of the character described including a guide adapted for attachment to a support and formed to receive a supporting member, a supporting member vertically adjustable upon the guide, means normally urging the supporting member vertically of the guide, pivoted coacting locking members carried by said first mentioned member and adapted to coact with the guide for holding the supporting member against vertical movement thereon in opposite directions, means adapted to limit each of said locking members in its pivotal movement in one direction to disengage the guide, and means normally urging said locking members into frictional engagement with the guide.

7 A device of the character described including a guide adapted for attachment to a support and formed to receive a supporting member, a supporting member vertically adjustable upon the guide, means normally urging the supporting member vertically of the guide, a pivoted locking member carried by said first mentioned member and normallyengaging the guide for holding the supporting member stationary thereon against the influence of said means, and means carried by the supporting member and movable to position to engage the locking member for holding it out of engagement with the guide.

8. A device of the character described including a tubular casing adapted for attachment to a support and having a vertically arranged slot formed therein, a supporting member vertically adjustable within the casing and including a body portion and an arm extending through said slot, resilient means for urging the supporting member vertically of the casing, and pivoted locking members carried by the body portion and providing shoulders adapted to frictionally engage the margins of the casing adjacent said slot for holding the supporting member against vertical movement therein in either direction, the said locking members providing handles.

9. A device of the character described including a tubular casing adapted for attachment to a support and having a'vertically arranged slot formed therein, a supporting member vertically adjustable within the easing, said supporting member including a body portion, an arm extending therefrom, and a head cap carried terminally of said arm, said head cap having an arm formed thereon and extending freely through said slot and adapted to receive an article to be supported, the body portion being provided with an opening and having a shoulder extending into said opening, locking members pivoted Within said opening one upon each side of said shoulder, said locking members being provided with heads having oppositely disposed transversely arranged slots formed therein adapted to receive the margins of the casing adjacent said first mentionedslot and providing shoulders disposed to engage the said margins for holding the supporting member against vertical movement within the casing in either direction, said first mentioned shoulder being disposed to limit the locking members in their pivotal movement in one direction with the shoulders thereof out of engagement with the said margins, and a spring engaging the body portion and normally urging the supporting member vertically within the casing.

10. A device of the character described including a tubular casing adapted for attachment to a support and having a vertically arranged slot formed therein, supporting brackets formed to freely receive the ends of the casing, the casing being movable about a vertical axis upon the said brackets, a supporting member vertically adjustable within the casing and including an arm extending through said slot, means normally urging the supporting member vertically of the casing, and coacting locking members movable upon the supporting member to frictionally engage the margins of the casing adjacent said slot for holding the supporting member against vertical movement within the casing .in either direction.

11. A device of the character described including a guide formed to receive a supporting member, supporting brackets freely re ceiving the guide, a'supporting member vertically adjustable upon the guide, a locking member adapted to coact with the guide for holding the supporting member at adjustment, and yieldable means interposed between the supporting member and one of said brackets, said means normally engaging said bracket for holding the guide at adjustment about a vertical axis.

12. A device of the character described including a guide adjustable about its longitudinal axis, a supporting member shiftable upon the guide, and yieldable means for holding the guide at adjustment.

13. A device of the character described including a guide, a supporting member adjustable upon the guide, and a locking memher projecting through the guide and pivot- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature ally connected to the Supporting member, in presence of two Witnesses.

said locking member bein provided With x oppositely disposed shoulde is movable to en- CHARLES NILE?" 5 gage the inner and outer faces of the guide Witnesses:

for holding the supporting member at ad- W. C. NOREM, justment. M. C. NOREM.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

